Vehicle-wheel



PATENT oFFlcE.

JAMES A.ICARTER, 'TOF ST. 'LOUIS, MISSOURI.

i VEHICLE-WHEEL.

ispecicationof Letters Patent Patented May 24, `1921.

lApplication"ilel November 15, `1919. Serial No. 338,175.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I JAMES A. CARTER, a citizen of the United tates,fresiding at `the city of St. Louis, `State 'of Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Vehicle-Wheels, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, "forming a part thereof. p

This invention relates to a certain new and use-ful improvement in vehicle wheels, the chief object of my -present invention being to provide a vehicle wheel capable of resiliently, without the use or employment of `pneumatic tubes or tires, sustaining the load in an elicient manner, the wheel comprising a tread divided into separate slightly spaced sections each hingedly supported at two points by spokes, in turn, yieldingl su ported'at the hub of the wheel.,

Vith the above and other objects in view, my present invention resides inthe novel features of form, construction, arrangement, and combination of partsV hereinafter described and afterward pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, I have illustrated the preferred form of my invention, in which- Figure l is a side elevational view of the wheel; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view through gie same on approximately the line 2 2,

lgeferring now more in detail to the said drawing, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, l indicates a fragment of the axle or skein of the vehicle, upon which is mounted the hub 2 of the wheel, hub 2 having an outwardly disposed web-portion 3, preferably centrally located, provided in its periphery with radial grooves in which are slidingly mounted saddle-members 4.

5-5 indicate flanged barrel members or cylinders which are disposed upon opposite sides of, and suitably fixed to, the web 3, the inwardly extending barrel or cylinder 5 providing means for the employment with the wheel of a band-brake.

Interposed between the saddles 4 and barrels 5, are suitable preferably coiled springs 6 arranged in annular series on each side of the web 3, there being a pair of the springs 6 for each saddle 4. As seen especially in Fig. 2, the springs 6 are held from displacebands 7 have bent ends for the `passageof connecting-bolts v8,by which the "bands be adjustably tightened and the springs 6 placed under slight compressionin the assembling of the wheel. n

Each saddle member 4 supports yor carries 'a spoke or radial extension 9 fixed to or integral therewith. The tread ofthe wheel is divided yinto aiplurality of separate slightly spacedpreferably cushion sections l0, veach section being preferably hingedly connected to the outer ends of two of the spo-kes 9. F or the purpose of `such connection, each section 10 is `provided with pairs of spaced ears l3,`to and between which'the outer ends of the spokes 9 :are connected by pins or the like 14. Bythe construction described, the tread sections may, under "load or in use, be rocked or moved inwardly at either end compressing their respective supporting springs 6, the saddles 4 being freely slidable at all times in the grooves of the hub-web 3. When the tread-sections are relieved of their load, the springs 6 act, as will be evident, to restore them to normal position. To freely permit the independent rocking or swinging movement without binding or interference of the several treadsections 10, each section l0 is suitably obliquely cut away inwardly at its opposite ends, as at 15S- 15,

The saddles 4 being disposed for yielding movement in grooves of the hub-web 3, the web 3 has at all times a sliding driving connection with the spokes and tlieircarried tread-sections, such connection being increased preferably at points arranged equidistantly around the wheel by outwardly or radially disposed extensions 3', seen especially in Fig. l.

To additionally maintain the several spokes 9 and their carried tread-sections 10 annularly in alinement and to also prevent a too great or excessive lateral movement of the several sections, as in rounding corners and the like, I provide a spoke-connecting member in the form of az flat annular`V band ll, which is loosely threaded'through the several spokes in slotsfa,provided'longi-A tudinally in the several spokes. The slots 9a having a length greater than the Width of the band 1l and having a length approxi- V,mately equal to the compression-distance of.

the several springs 6, it lvvill be evident that the band 11 is capable vof" performing its functions Without in any Way yinterfering `With theryielding or resilient radial movement of the several spokes and their supported tread-sections 10. Y

A I am aware that changes in the form, con struction, arrangement and combination of ythe several parts of the Wheel may be made and substituted for'those herein shown and Y Y described Without departing from the nature I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patand principle 4ofrny -invention.

Having thus described my invention, What ent is: Y Y v i n v 1. A Wheel comprising a hub, an annular "L iWeb upon the hub, an annular series of springs carried by the hub'on each side of thevveb,V and an rannular series of treadmembers carried for yielding movement by the springs, the Web having asliding driving connection With the tread members.

"2., A Wheel comprising `a hub, an annular Web upon the hub, an annular series of springs carried by the hub on each side of the Web, saddles seated upon the springs for yielding movement relatively to the hub, and

an annular series of treadV members supported by the saddles, the Web having a sliding driving connection With the saddles,

3. 'A' Wheel comprising a hub, a radially grooved Web upon the hub, an annular series of springs carried by thehub on each side of the vveb, saddles seated upon the springs and disposed for yielding movement in the grooves of Vthe Web, an annular series of 'tread-members supported by Vthe saddles,

and bands embracing all the saddles for preventing displacement thereof relatively to the vveb and springs.

4f, A wheel comprising a grooved annular Web upon the hub, anannular series'of Vsprings lcarried by the hub oneach side of the Web,'s addles seated upon the springs and disposed for yielding moveradial Y ment in the grooves of theV Web, spokes fixed to the saddles, an annular series of tread-members carried bythe spokes, bands embracing all the saddles for preventing ydisplacement of the saddles relatively to the web andV springs, and an annular band engaging all the Vspokes forretarding lateral movement thereof and their hub, a radially carried vtread-members relatively to the hub,

y 5. A Wheel comprising a hub, an annular Web on the hub, an annular series of springs carried bythe hub on each side ofthe Web, saddles supported for yielding movement on the springs, tread-supporting spokes car- 

